Sunday, February 10, 2013

The "Bermunda Triangle" is another mysterious area northwest of the "North Fork Polygon". The three corners of this zone of weirdness are formed by the towns of Colfax, Grass Valley, and Nevada City. The Grass Valley Union periodically documents these strange happenings in it's infamous "Police Blotter" section. You can even buy a coffee cup printed with your favorite "Police Blotter" blurb. Here's a sampling of our favorites that we call:

A Cat Named Help!

Best of Police Blotter - July 24, 2010:

1:04 p.m. — A man from Ophir Street reported being drugged at work.

9:45 a.m. — A woman from the 16000 block of Clover Valley Road reported a radio was thrown into a pool.

5:41 p.m. — A caller from the 11000 block of Casci Road reported a man attempting to sell meat in the neighborhood now had his vehicle backed into another residence's driveway and when approached, began to rake. He could not be located.

9:08 p.m. — A caller from the 14000 block of Highway 49 reported a suspicious odor coming from a neighbor's compost piles.

1:11 p.m. — A caller from a business on Sacramento Street reported a woman with a mask on near an ATM. She was admonished for wearing a sun veil.

Best of Police Blotter - July 12, 2010:

8:19 a.m. — A caller from the 400 block of West Main Street reported a neighbor had piled trash between the residences that was a fire and rodent hazard.

2:41 p.m. — A caller from Freeman Lane reported people inside a vehicle with the shades up. It looked suspicious and the people might be up to no good.

7:41 p.m. — A caller from Neal Street reported a “massive shopping spree” at the Salvation Army. No one was located.

7:30 p.m. — A woman from the 12000 block of Butterfly Drive reported dogs barking, with the owner home and not doing anything. She said she was going to shoot the dogs for barking and was advised not to do that. She then said she does not have a gun, but she does have rat poison she could give the dogs. She was advised that was not needed.

12:37 a.m. — A caller from the 15000 block of Lewis Road reported a person was playing a loud piano all evening.

Best of Police Blotter - Dec 4, 2008:

At 10:50 p.m. Wednesday, a caller from the 200 block of Sutton Way in Grass Valley reported someone was playing with a baton on fire. The person agreed to extinguish the baton and go inside for the night.

At 9:37 a.m., a caller from a business on McKnight Way reported a customer bought a breakfast burrito, ate half of it and then wanted his money back. When he did not get the money, he threw the burrito on the floor.

Best of Police Blotter - August 25, 2007:

"Nevada County is shaped like a Deringer pistol... Among the weapons found at crime scenes around here: a crossbow arrow, a nail gun, a sickle and a chain saw, among others." More...

Police Blotter: April 12, 2007:

At 6:31 p.m., a caller from the 14000 block of Ballantree Lane reported finding an unknown substance in bags. A deputy responded.

Best of Police Blotter - March 20, 2007:

A 2:10 p.m. caller from the 10000 block of Bettcher Court reported a neighbor was yelling at him. The neighbor called and said the first caller was swinging a baseball bat at his friends. The first caller then called back and said the neighbor's friends were trying to run him over. Deputies went to the scene to mediate the matter.

A 9:17 a.m. caller from the 12000 block of Gayle Lane reported finding dynamite in her front yard. Responding deputies said it was a road flare.

An 11:24 a.m. caller from a store on Freeman Lane said a youth came into the store and let a rat loose.

Best of Police Blotter - February 22, 2007:

At 2:11 p.m., a caller from the 300 block of West Main Street reported a cat was stuck. Animal Control was advised.
At 11:33 a.m., a woman from the 19000 block of Quail Run reported an ongoing problem with her neighbor. They were squabbling regarding animal control issues...

At 2:39 p.m., a caller reported a man who lives on the 800 block of Annex Avenue was possibly on drugs and he believed worms were crawling on him. Police contacted the man. He was not on drugs...

Best of Police Blotter - February 21, 2007:

At 1:04 p.m., a caller from the 200 block of South Church Street reported three juveniles were skateboarding in the street and on the steps of a church.

At 2:26 p.m., a woman in the police station lobby said someone was pet-sitting her dog and would not return it. Police would follow up.

At 3:18 p.m., a woman called from the hospital on Glasson Way to report she had not received food for two days. Police contacted the nursing supervisor, who would check on the woman.

At 3:29 p.m., a woman called to report she watched a television show, "60 Minutes," and she was concerned for her stepfather's welfare. She had not spoken to him in more than 12 years. A deputy went to the address and determined the stepfather was staying in Colorado.

At 4:50 p.m., a woman called from the 10000 block of Valley Drive to report a goat was taken from her property. The caller would check with her neighbors before an officer responded.

At 4:53 p.m., a caller from the 17000 block of Alexandra Way reported a possible rabid skunk was running in circles and acting strange. Animal Control was advised.

At 5:15 p.m., a caller from Turpentine Drive reported finding a single bullet wrapped in tape in the roadway. An officer made contact.

The Best of Police Blotter - February 12, 2007:

At 10:59 a.m., a caller from the 150 block of Boulder Street reported a possible mountain lion or bear left large bite marks in a trash can; they did not appear to be the marks of a raccoon. The Nevada City Police Department responded and gave the residents a contact phone number for California Fish and Game.

At 7:07 p.m., someone reported a suspicious house with plastic stapled to one side and a beeping sound coming from the residence since midnight.

Best of Police Blotter: February 1, 2007:

At 2:21 p.m., a man called from the 600 block of Long Street to report people possibly were living under his house. An officer determined no one was in the basement.

Best of Police Blotter - January 30, 2006:

A caller reported at 7:14 p.m. that someone was on a porch yelling "help" from a residence on Bank Street. Officers responded and learned the person was calling a cat that is named "Help."

At 11:42 p.m., a caller reported duct tape was across the roadway at Idaho Maryland Road and Sutton Way. Officers responded and the roadway was cleared.

A woman reported at 7:33 a.m. that her home on Wendy Circle was egged the night before.

At 4:20 p.m., a caller reported a man was locked in a restroom of a business and taking clothes off on the 600 block of Freeman Lane.

At 7:40 p.m., a caller reported a man was sitting in a gold Blazer on the 10000 block of Combie Road. The caller said the man had a computer in the vehicle with a large antennae and it seemed suspicious.

A woman reported at 11:15 a.m. the theft of mail and money from the 10400 block of Robin Avenue. The woman also said someone has been tapping into her cell phone.

At 12:40 p.m., a caller from Stinky Mulligan's Sports Bar and Grill reported two men were stealing bottles and urinating at the back of the business on Combie Road.

At 9:49 p.m., a woman called to report that her son had witnessed a fight between two people on Horton Street and that one individual had ripped some hair out of the head of the other individual. Deputies responded and learned the second individual has a condition wherein hair falls out easily and that no crime had occurred.

At 9:49 p.m., a woman reported a transient was lying on her front porch requesting a blanket on the 400 block of Sacramento Street.

At 2:27 a.m., a caller requested a welfare check on an employee who had not shown up for work. The caller said it was highly unusual. Officers responded to the employee's home on the 700 block of Nevada Street and learned the employee had slept through the alarm and would be calling work shortly.

About Me

I am the director of a secret institute of adventure scientists that are willing to scramble into remote, rattlesnake-infested canyons, explore unstable historic mining areas, and even surf the Web using slow-speed internet connections... all in the name of science and infotainment.